


Chess and Wine

by misura



Category: Healer and Seer Series - Victoria Hanley
Genre: Background Relationships, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-13 08:48:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21491587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: Larseld and Michal enjoy a quiet night in.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 4
Collections: Yuletide Madness 2019





	Chess and Wine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [theladyscribe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theladyscribe/gifts).

Michal and Larseld were playing chess again. Michal didn't know why he bothered: any time when he felt he had almost won, Larseld would move a piece and change a sure victory into a resounding defeat.

Luckily, Michal didn't mind losing at chess. It was just a game, after all. They played because they enjoyed it, and to distract them for a while from more important things.

Still, it would have been nice to win every once in a while.

To an onlooker, Michal's position might have looked quite good, but he could tell Larseld had a plan, and that none of Michal's moves thus far had managed to derail that plan.

"Checkmate," said Larseld, as if to prove his point.

Michal jumped up, deciding he might as well have a bit of fun. "How dare a peasant like you checkmate the High King!" He put on a ferocious scowl, even though Dahmis never wore such an expression, not even in private. "I could have your head for this!"

Larseld rolled his eyes. "A thousand apologies, my lord. Please do not behead me, I beg you." The words might be humble, but his tone was not.

Michal grinned. "You snivelling worm! You think I will spare your life in exchange for such poor groveling?" He considered pretending to call for the guards, but with a bit of poor luck, someone might hear him and then he would have to explain to some poor bewildered guards that he had only been joking.

Worse, he would have to explain why he was wearing the High King's clothes and sleeping in the High King's rooms and generally walking around acting like he was the High King. Ordinary people who did not know Dahmis might be fooled by the act, but the royal guards would know better.

Michal felt Dahmis should let them in on the secret, but Dahmis refused, and that was that.

"Then, may I alleviate your wrath by pouring you a cup of wine? And perhaps some late-night snacks?"

"Bah." Thinking of Dahmis had spoilt his enjoyment of the game a bit, Michal realized. He sighed. "Yes, fine. We still need to go over those reports, mind. Also, at some point, we should probably go to bed."

"The High King flatters me." Larseld's eyes gleamed.

Michal's tired mind needed a few moments to realize what he had said. He chuckled.

Larseld quietly spoke to the guard outside the door, then poured them both some wine. Not even full cups, but then, they had already drunk some during their game of chess.

"You worry about him."

"Don't you?" Michal shot back. "One thing to dress up like a peasant and take one of us with him. That - it wasn't safe, perhaps, but you can't be the kind of High King Dahmis wants to be by staying safe all the time. This is different. Do you even know where he goes?"

Larseld sipped his wine. "I have some ideas. So have you."

Michal grimaced. "Archeld."

"Or Bellandra. Though I suppose that if the two countries were to unite, they might change the name. Archandra? Belleld?"

"Belleld sounds rather silly," Michal pointed out.

"I'm sure that they will take your opinion into consideration when deciding."

Michal sighed. "Isn't there something we can do? Sneaking away to see a secret lover or lover_s_ \- sooner or later, someone's going to find out, and then what? This is Dahmis we're talking about. It's not as if he's going to grow tired of it and move on, settle down with a wife of his own, get himself an heir."

"At some point, that will become a problem," Larseld acknowledged. "Still, like you said, this is Dahmis, not some thoughtless young fool who's too busy putting his head in the clouds to consider his responsibilities."

"I don't think that's where he's putting his head. At least, I hope not."

Larseld gave him a sour look. "He's the High King. We must trust him. That is all we can do. For now."

"I'm pretty sure this crown on my head says _I'm_ the High King, actually," Michal said.

"Be that as it may." Larseld rose as a knock on the door announced the arrival of the snacks he had requested. "Then would the High King like to go over a few reports of our scouts?"

"Snacks first," Larseld said, his voice firm like the one Dahmis used in public. "And maybe a little bit more wine. Being High King is thirsty work, you know."


End file.
